Duduzile Zuma-Sambudla, daughter of former South African president Jacob Zuma, has resigned from parliament and all structures of the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party amid allegations she recruited young South African men to fight for Russia in Ukraine.

MK Party national chairperson Nathi Nhleko announced the resignation at a media briefing in Durban on Friday. The party also stated Zuma-Sambudla had stepped down from all party structures.

The resignation follows criminal charges filed against the 42-year-old lawmaker. The Democratic Alliance laid charges of human trafficking, contraventions of South Africa’s anti-mercenary legislation and additional offences against her on Thursday. The Hawks confirmed they are investigating after Zuma-Sambudla’s half-sister, Nkosazana Bonganini Zuma-Mncube, opened a criminal case against her.

At least 17 South African men claimed they were recruited for what they believed was bodyguard training linked to the MK Party. Instead, the men say they were flown to Russia, where they were pressured into signing military contracts written entirely in Russian before being moved toward the front lines of the war in eastern Ukraine.

WhatsApp messages seen by Bloomberg show Zuma-Sambudla assuring families that the recruits would not be sent into combat. In one exchange, when a recruit reported preparing to move to a war zone, she responded that recruits might be put on non-combat duties such as cooking or gun cleaning.

The MK Party has distanced itself from the scandal. Spokesperson Nhlamulo Ndhlela said: “This is not an MK matter, it’s a Dudu matter.” The party reiterated it was never involved in the recruitment of young men to be trained in Russia.

South African Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola told reporters at the G20 summit in Johannesburg that diplomatic efforts to bring the men back were underway. The Presidency confirmed receiving distress calls and ordered an investigation.

Under South Africa’s Foreign Military Assistance Act, citizens may not provide military services abroad without state authorisation.

Zuma-Sambudla is separately on trial in Durban High Court for charges related to incitement to commit terrorism and public violence for her role in the July 2021 unrest that claimed more than 350 lives in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.

Zuma-Sambudla has not publicly responded to the recruitment allegations.